Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-23
DEADLY PERIL In THE FOG.
COLLISION BETWEEN TWO OCEAN
STEAMERS OFF NANTUCKET.

Five of the Passengers Horribly Done to
Death and Others Wounded-Fire Still
Working Havoc in the Peninsula-Iron-
wood and Hurley Cut OF and in Probable
Danger-One Life Lost at Lake Linden
Casualties Ashore and Afioat.
New York, May 80 The steamship Britain
mic of the White Star line, which left New
York for Liverpool on Wednesday last, ran
into the steamship Celtic of the same line,
bound for New York, on Thursday morning
during dense fog, off Nantucket The Celtic
was struck just abaft the mizzen rigging and
badly damaged The Britannia, however,
sustained even greater injury, and was obliged
to turn back TO this port, arriving off the bar
with the Celtic about noon Sunday. The
captains of both vessels were on the lookout
for other vessels and ice-bergs at the time of
the collision, the fog being unusually heavy.
-Four grown persons and little girl all
steerage passengers on the Britannia, were
killed, and seven persons injured Two of
the latter, William LAWYER, aged Is, and Pat
rick Burke, aged Is, had their arms and legs
broken, and were brought to st. Vincent's
thir titf i'i hitcttilN7hN hN
sicians refuse to let them talk about the acct
dent; The mail boat which brought them up
also brought number of the Britannic's pas
sengerS, including c. P Huntington. The
two disabled steamships are anchored off the
Sandy Hook hgiiShip.
The little girl referred to was the daughter
Of Mrs Robinson, OF Fall River. Mass. Her
little brother had his arm crushed Mrs.
Robinson was with her children on the Britain
ME
The collision occurred about eighty miles
from the main land The Britannia was on
her course, heading about east by north,
while the Celtic was evidently lost, and had
her bow pointing about south The first ac-
count of the collision proved to be incorrect in
stating that tine Celtic was run into. The
Celtic struck the Britannia on the port side at
the mizzen rigging and only few feet astern
of the after end of the boiler room. The
mizzen rigging. iron work and all, was
wrenched from its fastenings, the rail was
torn from its foundation as far aft as the
jigGermss and the after turtle-hack was
carried into the air aud overheard as though
it was made Of pIStehaar't The blow was
CHANGING one, the PROV OF the Celtic striking
at less than right angle As the
striking steamship glanced along the
side it rebounded twice in its
course, smashing two small boats
to pieces and bending the heavy iron force
pump, that stood near the butchers quarters,
over against the deck like piece of tin. As
the bow struck the pump it caught iii a steer
age passenger (whose name is not known)
as he, nresolute Ill his excitement, was I'M
able 10 get out of the way in time, crushed
him against the iron. and cut the body CON-
pletely in two A little girl Of about II years
named Robinson, who was with her mother
and brother on her way 10 England for a
visit, was also crushed 10y the bow, her face
and breast being split open through the mid
die
The scenes that followed are variorlsly de-
scrihed There was a rush for the boats, and
the captain was compelled to draw his re-
volver to keep the men from getting into
them and crowding out the women Charges
are made that the crew was particularly eager
to get into the boats The bodies Of the dead
were buried at sea The wife of the man who
was crushed against the pump, when she saw
her husbands body tossed into the sea, be
came frantic and wanted to cast herself over
the side after it,
Eight or ten people We're injured by the
iron work RS IL fell or the wood work AS it
was crushed in board -Four OF these were too
badly injured 10 I've taken care of by the
steamers surgeon, and they were transferred
to st. Nincent's Hospital They were the boy
George Robinson, Patrick Burke, aged A, of
Wilkesharre, Pa; William LAWYER aged G5
of st. Louis, and young woman named Rose
Kelly. The two men are in /, critical condi-
ton.
The dead, As tar as aScprtained, were
james TurnhridGe of Iowa, Rose Robinson, a
little girl OF lynn, Mass; three women
names unknown,
Noundel-Mrs Jane Williams Fall River
arm injured; Mrs Rosa Mooney, New York,
face and back and lee bruised, Mrs Annie
Vaughn, Pennsylvania. suffering from nerv-
Ors shock and loss ri voice. caused by eXp0s-
uTe and heug wet through: Patrick Burke
iaborer, of WIkeslarrc Pa, fractured leg
W iiam LAWYER, st Louis, fractured hip:
Ross Fagau, New York city, back and legs
injured; George Arthur Robinson, boy, com
pound fracture OF the arm Incoming steam
ers, which We're spoken, kept company with
the Celtic and Britannia IN case the injured
vessels should need assistance hut their aid
was not needed